Barriers remain for temporary workers

While some temporary workers, notably in Manitoba, have gained the help they need to transition to permanent residency, a new collection of essays written by Canadian academics, documents the overwhelming barriers many temporary migrant workers face in trying to become residents and citizens of Canada.

Not only that, the increasing numbers of temporary foreign workers who have few rights and little stake in the nation's political life are creating a two-tiered system that's undermining Canada's traditionally equitable treatment of immigrants.

Lenard says it clearly documents what had long been suspected: Temporary workers in Canada are vulnerable to abuse. That runs counter to the driving ethos of Canada's decades-old immigration system, in which immigrants are viewed as "full and equal members of our political community." That sense of community has, she argues, contributed to Canada's success.

"Where migrants are admitted on temporary visas — in particular those migrants admitted to work on visas that do not permit the transition to citizenship [or where this transition is difficult] — we are undermining this basis of our success," Lenard said.

In particular, Lenard said, the collection illustrates that two conditions of temporary labour in Canada create systemic inequality: "One, migrants are not permitted to transition to permanent residence or citizenship, and so are treated as expendable; and two, they are not permitted to change employers, which means they are denied one of the main ways in which employees can protect their rights."

The essays are based on research and interviews with migrant labourers. They found that in addition to facing barriers to becoming permanent residents, even if they do achieve that goal migrant workers continue to struggle to improve their economic lot. They remain at the "bottom tier" of the economic immigration system.